28 Gibson Street, Glasgow. G12 8NX. Tel: 0141 334 2665.
Formerly the Spaghetti Factory, I remember going in here with my father and brother, when we arrived the waiter said if were had our own wine, my father said yes, it was a bottle of Bulls Blood, I was amazed that someone could go into a restaurant and bring their own drink. At first I thought the proprietor didn’t have a licence. I was a teenager then.
Also see Stravaigin 2.
827 Govan Road / 1 Harmony Row, Glasgow.
In the News 1972…
Brothers jailed for attack in Govan Pub
Two brothers were jailed at the High Court in Glasgow today for knife and tumbler assault in a Govan public house last May. Hugh Herrity (41) of 61 Langlands Road, Govan, was found guilty by a majority of assaulting John McDonald (45) of 8 Nimmo Drive, Drumoyne, by striking him repeatedly on the face with a knife to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement on May 27.
He was also found guilty of assaulting the manager of the Stag Bar, Edward Maher (53) of Uist Street, Drumoyne by striking him with a knife. James Herrity (33) of the same address, was found guilty of assaulting McDonald by striking him twice on the face with a tumbler but the jury found that this done under provocation.
Hugh was jailed for four years and James for nine months.
10 convictions
Sentencing Hugh Herrity Lord Wheatley said that there had been too many cases of knifes being used during quarrel’s in Glasgow. He added that there may have been some sort of “second hand provocation” of Hugh Herrity because his brother may have been provoked by McDonald but nevertheless the fact that Hugh interfered and used a knife was “absolutely inexcusable.”
Hugh Herrity admitted 10 previous convictions, mainly for breach of the peace, and on his last court appearance was fined £100.
Manager warned
But James had a “deplorable record”, five years in 1960 for assault, then two years for breach of the peace, followed by more breaches of the peace. James Herrity had been out of prison only two months at the time of the pub assault. Yesterday Edward Maher, manager of the Stag Bar in Govan Road, was given a stern warning by the Judge because there was a suspicion he was withholding evidence.
Lord Wheatley ordered Mr Maher to be kept within the precincts of the court until he had been dealt with. After the case had finished for the day, Lord Wheatley told Mr Maher, “I am letting you off with a stern warning.”
Green Street, Calton, Glasgow.
This old Tavern was named after James Sheriden Knowles 1784-1862.
Mr Knowles was an Irish dramitist and actor born in Cork 12th May 1874. His carreer sent him all over Ireland and Britain. One of his renowned performances in Glasgow was at the Theatre Royal “The Hunchback.” An old play bill advertising this anounced that “A Performance of James Sheridan Knowles “William Tell” at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow, “The Hunchback” by James Sheridan Knowles.
62 Glassford Street, Glasgow.
The Steps Bar. 1991.
To read the full history of this popular city centre public house click here.
The Steps Bar. 2007.
Interior view of the Steps Bar. 2009.
Steps Bar in 1960.
In the News 1988…
Bailie Duncan Mason Loses Chain in Pub…
The Bailie who lost his official chain in a Glasgow pub last night described the incident as “a stupid prank that backfired.”
Bailie Duncan Mason, whose irreplaceable gold chain of office, valued at £8000, went missing during a visit to the Steps Bar in the city’s Glassford Street, added: “I am very angry and will be making that plain to the people I think were involved.”
The councillor for Lethamhill, who will be standing as an independent in next week’s district elections after being deselected by the Labour Party, said that he had borrowed the chain to attend the funeral of his “favourite brother-in-law” yesterday morning.
He continued: “I wished to wear the chain as I would be representing the Lord Provost who was inable to attend.
“I went in to the bar to say thank you to someone who had made a donation to my election fund and I stopped for a dram. I went to the toilet before leaving in a taxi and when I got home I was shattered to find the chain was missing from my bag.
“I assumed it had been stolen and told the Police right away. I believe now it was a joke that someone was playing on me and it had backfired.”
Bailie Mason said that it “would be wrong to say” that he had been drinking heavily in the bar or had been “fooling around” with the chain and added: “The chain was in my bag and I left it for only a few minutes to go to the toilet. It must have been then that someone interfered with it.”
Strathclyde Police said: “We can confirm having received a report of the theft of a gold chain and madallion belonging to Glasgow District Council during Monday evening. Inquiries revealed the chain and madallion having been returned to Glasgow District Coucil, no theft having taken place. Police inquiries into the incident are continuing.”
It is understood that the chain was returned to the City Chambers by two unidentified people. Bailie Mason said: “I do not know if these were the people who had played the stupid prank.”
687 Garscube Road, Glasgow. G20 7JX. Tel: 01413324358.
Star & Garter. 1991.
There has been a pub on this site since the 1860s occupied by tenant and licensee James Phillips. Ten years later publican William Melaugh was running this very popular hostelry. Mr Melaugh was born in Ireland and came to Glasgow to set up as a publican. William was very successful in this old pub and continued to do so, in fact he made enough money to secure the licence for the old Stag Inn on Springburn Road near the foot of the Balgrayhill.
William lived next door to the Stag Inn with his daughter Agnes, son John who was also a publican and a domestic servant Jane Sweeney.
In 1898 Andrew Jardine acquired a licence for the premises and continued to do so for over thirty years. The old pub was demolished and a new tenement with a public house on the ground floor was erected on the site.
Mr Andrew Jardine.
Andrew Jardine was born in Applegarth, near Lockerbie, he came to Glasgow at an early age with his parents and received his education at Henderson Street Public School, afterwards at Larbert. On leaving school he entered the services of Duncan Walker, wine merchant on Hope Street, two years later he joined the staff of Mr Campbell, Cowcaddens. His next move was with well known and respected publican Thomas Reid, working in the firms Garscube Road premises, Jardine worked hard and secured the position of Manager for thirteen years only leaving to take over his own pub at 687 Garscube Road.
The name of his new pub was then The Thistle Bar, he installed all the best liquor including McEwan’s draught 90s Edinburgh Ale, he also had his own whisky called “Captain’s Blend.” Jardine went on to own another pub at 360 Scotland Street. He was involved with the licensed trade and became secretary of the College and Maryhill Divisions of the Trade Defence Association.
In his spare time he would cycle to the country, he was also a football fan of the Jags and was fond of Scotch terriers, he was also a bird fancier, in 1896, with eight birds, he won eighteen prizes at one show, including the cup, the following year, although losing the cup by one point he carried off sixteen prizes with seven of his feathered friends.
His son John took over the pub after his death which stayed in the family until the 1930s.
Another well known publican to run the pub was Henry Brook, he was running the pub during the 50s and 60s. Mr Brook and customers collected vast’s amounts of money over the years for various charities, in 1960 they collected over £30.00 for the Eastpark Home for Infirm Children, Maryhill Road. The money was collected in empty whisky bottles.
Left to right Miss Sheila Morrison, matron of the Eastpark Home, Mr James Kerr and partner Alan Girvan. Mr Girvan is emptying a whisky bottle with money collected by customers of the Star & Garter. 1970.
During the 1970s partners James Kerr and Alan Girvan ran the Star & Garter, they also collected money for various charities.
Mr Henry Brook is watched by some of the customers of the Star & Garter while he empties the contents of a bottle of money. 1960.
Today the pub is still going strong however the pub has lost the lounge, an extension which was demolished a few years ago to make way for new houses.
In the News 1971…
James and Alec build their dream.
When James Kerr and Alec Girvan were children they lived just round the corner from each other. They went to the same school, and they both became taxi drivers. Then they each bought a taxi and went into business for themselves. They each had a dream of buying a wee pub somewhere.
But in all that time they never met. Eventually they came to share the same taxi rank, and that’s when the dream really got off the ground. “We’re both from Maryhill,” James told me, “although we don’t live there now.” James lives with his wife and three children in Garscadden, and Alec and his family of wife and four children (one set of twins) live in Bishopbriggs.
Oldest Pub
“After we meat and discovered our ambitions were the same, we sold our taxis and managed to put up enough to buy a small pub in Garscube Road, which must be one of the oldest pubs in Glasgow, The Star and Garter, which former Licensee Henry Brooks had run for 26 Years.”
That was only 15 months ago, but in that time the partners have built up the business to the point where real success begins, for today they open their new £18,000 lounge bar extension.
Customers at the Star and Garter lounge bar were helped to their pints by a very attractive blonde “barmaid.” She’s Sally Carr, from Muirhead, Chryston, the girl singing with the Middle of the Road pop group who topped charts with “Chirpy chirpy cheep cheep.”
Modern lounge
The bright, very modern new lounge with its brown and orange decor will seat up to 206 people in an area roughly 1400 square feet. The whole area is open and spacious, with specially made ceiling beams of prestressed white pine in place of pillars.
The walls are plain orange and the thick pile carpet in shades of orange and brown. Round the walls are very comfortable upholstered bench seating in fawn, and the natural brick of the building has been left exposed behind the bar and the adjoining area as a special feature.
Jim and Alec want pubs to be the way they used to be. Places to be friendly, places where personal service means something. They do this more in the Star and Garter. The Star and Garter, a modern pub with traditional service. Alec Girvan and Jim Kerr proprietors of the Star and Garter. 1971.
Natural wood
Spotlights are hung from the ceiling in strategic places between the beams, finished in natural wood. “Most of the good ideas came from the builders,” Alec told me. “They’ve been marvellous. From start to finish this completely new building has taken only 10 weeks to complete, but then they’re like us, two partners who started their business about the same time.” The firm is called Housing Improvement and Conversion Services, of the Hertz Building, 10 Tyndrum Street, and does general building work under the direction of partners Peter Watson and Alexander Wilson.
Best group
Alec and James are full of ideas for the future. “We’ve booked the best group in Glasgow to play in the lounge,” They said enthusiastically. “That’s Chuck Roberts and the Blind Alley, and they’ll be here every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. And we’re looking for another group at the moment for the rest of the week.” Until now the partners ran the Star and Garter themselves, with the part-time help of the former owner, but with the big new lounge opening they’re busy taking on staff.
“We’ve got about three or four full-time staff now,” they told me, “but we’re still looking for part-time waitresses. We’ll need about six and our personal preference is for mini skirts!”
Restaurant
This is only the start for Alec and James, who plan eventually to build a licensed restaurant on top of the lounge, and there’s room for even further extension at the back. A car park at the rear holds 18 cars. The new lounge will be officially opened today by five Celtic players, Evan Williams, Davie Hay, Jimmy Johnstone, Dixie Deans, and Lou Macari, just to give it a good send-off.” But it will be the hard work and enthusiasm of the hosts which will make the Star and Garter a landmark in Maryhill.
2012 update…
Michael Sanders took over the Star & Garter on Feb 2002. Thanks to B Gunning for the update.
Glassford Street, Glasgow.
Spreulls Court. 1990s.
A short lived pub. It was then a cafe and has since closed up.
